aster.

"Bless me! Good gracious! Look, Mr Hasnip. Did you ever see such a
nose? No, no, Mercer: sit up, sir."

Poor Mercer had ducked down to hide his bulbous organ, but he had to sit
up while Mr Hasnip brought his smoke-tinted spectacles to bear upon it.

"Terrible!" he said. "The boy must have been fighting."

"Yes; and here's the other culprit," cried Mr Rebble. "Look at this
boy's eye and mouth. Have you two boys been fighting?"

"Yes, sir," I said in a low voice.

"Disgraceful! Well, the Doctor must know of it, and he will punish you
both severely."

The two masters moved off to their table, and a buzz of excitement ran
through the nearest boys, while, as I looked up, I could see Burr major
standing up in his place and looking over toward us.

"I say," whispered Mercer, "here's a game; they think we two have been
fighting together like old Lom did. Let 'em think so. Don't you say a
word."

"But it will be so dishonest," I expostulated.

"No, it won't. If they ask you who you fought with, you must say
nothing."

"Not tell them?"

"No. The Doctor will say you are stubborn and obstinate, and threaten
to expel you; but he don't mean it, and you've got to hold your tongue,
as I told you before. We never split on each other here."

"Will the Doctor know, do you think?" I asked, as we went on with our
breakfast.

"Sure to. Old Reb's safe to go and tell him directly he comes."

I soon heard that this opinion was shared, for one of the bigger boys
came over from his seat near Burr major.

"I say," he said, "Reb's sure to tell the Doctor about you two. Shall
you say that you had a round with big Burr and old Fatsee?"

"Did Eely tell you to come and ask?" said Mercer, glancing toward where
Burr major was anxiously watching in our direction.

"Never you mind. Are you going to tell?"

"What is it to you?"

"A good deal. You tell, and half a dozen of us mean to wallop you two,
and you won't like that."

"Oh, I shouldn't mind, and Burr junior wouldn't. I know old Squirmy
sent you to ask because--there, look at him--he's all in a fiddle for
fear the Doctor should punish him--a great coward!--for knocking smaller
boys about."

"Look here," whispered the ambassador, "don't you be quite so saucy."

"Shall if I like. You go and tell old Eely, old slimy Snip, that I'm
not like his chosen friend Dicksee, a miserable, tale-telling sneak. I
shan't let out about Burr major being such a co